Gloria E. Barrera

About Gloria E. Barrera

Gloria E. Barrera, MSN, RN, PEL-CSN, PLNC is a leader and innovator in public health nursing, climate health, and improving child health outcomes in our most vulnerable populations. A registered nurse since 2008, she has close to two decades of experience in school health, and a steadfast commitment to advancing health equity through education, advocacy, and policy.She currently serves as Director of a nationally recognized RN to BSN Program. Barrera made history as the first Latina elected President of the Illinois Association of School Nurses, leading the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic. She created the first School Nurse Lobby Day in Illinois, co-developed the state’s first vaccine toolkit for nurses with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and co-founded Nurse Heroes for Zero and the Society of Latinx Nurses.Her leadership extends to environmental and respiratory health as a Board member of the Chicago Asthma Consortium, a clinical expert with AAIR, and a partner with the American Lung Association’s Health Professionals for Clean Air and Climate Action initiative amongst other elected and appointed positions in public health. She serves on the Executive Board of ANA-Illinois, and is a member of the Illinois Department of Public Health’s Diversity in Health Care Professions Task Force. Barrera is a 2022–2023 Fellow of the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments and a 2024 Fellow with the Center for Health Equity Education and Advocacy through Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School.Since 2013, she has taught at multiple universities, developed nursing courses, and presented locally, and nationally on topics from asthma management, vaccine compliance, nurse advocacy, to mental health in schools. Named one of the 40 Under Forty in Public Health by the de Beaumont Foundation and Nurse Influencer of the Year by ANA-Illinois, she is a sought out advocate and voice for school nursing and is committed to elevating the specialty. She is also a recently published author in a national nursing journal and a dedicated mentor, creating formal leadership programs to prepare the next generation of nurse leaders.

Experience

1. Director of Rn-bsn Program

   Uic College Of Nursing

   Aug 2025 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

   Leads one of the nation’s top-ranked online RN-BSN programs, serving nearly 500 working nurses and preparing them for leadership, and advanced practice. Oversees strategic vision, daily operations, and a curriculum that meets the highest academic and accessibility standards.Key achievements include:• Enrollment growth from 200 to nearly 500 students, making this the largest program in the UIC College of Nursing• Contributed to the program’s No. 3 national ranking among online RN-BSN programs by U.S. News & World Report• Expansion of dual admission pathways with community colleges, strengthening the RN-BSN pipeline across Illinois and beyond• Transition to a competency-based education model aligned with the AACN Essentials• Implementation of Quality Matters-aligned course design and enhanced digital accessibilityCollaborates with faculty, university leaders, UIC Online, and community organizations to recruit and retain students, foster teaching excellence, and ensure graduates are ready to transform healthcare in their communities.

Education

• National Louis University

  Graduate Certificate, Certified School Nurse, Type 73

  2008 — 2009

• Saint Xavier University

  BSN, Nursing

  2004 — 2007

• Olivet Nazarene University

  MSN, Nursing Education

  2012 — 2013

Skills

• Patient Safety
• Health Promotion
• Nursing Care
• College Teaching
• Program Development
• Public Health
• Community Health
• Healthcare
• Public Speaking
• Nursing
• Bls
• Teaching
• Health Education
• Nursing Education